Firestar's Return: Part 2
by Swimchick1224
Summary: Fireheart and his friends are loving all aspects of warrior life, from starting families to putting up with Graystripe's punny jokes. Yet even as the clans settle into an era of peace, danger lurks in the shadows of the most loyal clanmates, and Starclan might be to blame! Who can you trust when everyone thinks you're a traitor? Who can you turn to when everyone you love is afraid?
1. Chapter 1

**The sequel has begun! :D Please read 'Firestar's Return' first if you haven't already done so; I'm picking up where that story took off, but with a slight plot twist. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 1: A Father's Love

It began with the silhouette of a cat. His brown and white pelt appeared silver under the rays of the moon, and a small, Greenleaf breeze tickled his fur. The tom ran through the forest with power and agility that only a warrior could have. Leaping over fallen branches and plowing through leaves, his yellow eyes sparkled with determination. Every now and then he would stop and look around, making sure he was going in the right direction. One wrong turn and the Tom would be lost, and he didn't have time for that. Even the fastest of warriors needed to pick up the pace every now and then.

The cat's paws took him past Twolegplace and onto the thunder path, which appeared to go on forever, lost in the mist of the night. _Come on, Eagleclaw, you can do this! _He thought to himself, taking his first step onto the road. _You have to._

He walked forward for about an hour. Every once in a while the cat would dart back into the bushes, barely avoiding approaching monsters, but for the most part the thunder path remained clear. His paw pads burned from the journey, and his eyes blurred from staying up so late. He was tired, but he needed to keep going. After what felt like moons, Eagleclaw turned left off the never-ending road and continued on. He let the trees and his surroundings direct him, nodding in approval to himself when a row of Twoleg houses loomed before him. The last time the warrior had been there, it was in the middle of the day, and lights had filled all of the homes. But now they were dark and desolate, showing very few signs of life. Eagleclaw knew she was awake, though, waiting for him.

Five moons ago he never would've traveled to a place inhabited by kittypets. But of coarse, Nutmeg wasn't just any kittypet.

He leaped up onto the back porch, walked towards the shiny doors, and gave the see-through entrance a small tap with his paw. His heart began beating like crazy when, in the darkness of the house, he saw a petite, cream-furred she cat with sparkling green eyes. The bell on her pink collar let out a musical sound as she ran to the door, pressing her delicate nose to the glass. Eagleclaw hid behind a tree when the lights turned on from the inside, and a Twoleg, one of the first he'd ever seen up close, reached out towards the door.

"Do you want the kitty door opened, Meggy?" the woman asked her pet, who let out a soft meow before sprinting through a mini-door in the wall, which opened once the Twoleg pressed a button.

Eagleclaw ran side by side with the she-cat until they were beyond the back porch and the garden.

"Oh, Eagleclaw, I can't believe it's really you!" Nutmeg squealed, rubbing her face into the tom's shoulder and purring loudly. "You must have been walking for hours!"

"I would do it every night, if I could," the warrior whispered. "I wish I could've come sooner. How are they? Do they look like me? Have you named them yet?"

Nutmeg gave a small, sad smile. "I decided to hold back on naming them without you. One of the toms has almost the same pelt as you do, but with yellow stripes, as well. The she cats look more like my mother, and the other Tom is dark brown. My owner thinks I adopted them because we look so different..." Her eyes seemed to gaze off into the distance as the cream-furred she cat became lost in thought; Eagleclaw sighed.

"Look, if you don't want to do this-" he started to say.

Nutmeg's face lit up in alarm. "No, this is what's best for them. They need to grow up like you did, strong and healthy. I want them to spend every day out in the fresh air, surrounded by nature. Not locked up in a crummy house. No, they're definitely going with you."

The she-cat turned and ran inside through the kitty door. Eagleclaw pricked his ears, listening to the sound of little meows protesting that it was too late to go outside, and that the garden was too scary at night. Nutmeg whispered words of encouragement, then returned to Eagleclaw with four kits running at her heels. The tom stared at them in wonder, not sure of what to say.

_These are MY kits,_ he thought, amazed. _My own flesh and blood. They're perfect, just like nutmeg._

They were also shy at the moment, looking between him and their mother with confused faces. Nutmeg led her family under a street light so that Eagleclaw could see their pelts better. He still couldn't believe his eyes.

"Oh Nutmeg, they're adorable!" Eagleclaw gasped, leaning down to nuzzle each one.

"Mama, who is this?" one of the toms asked.

Nutmeg chuckled. "Kits, this is your father, Eagleclaw."

"Wow!" The other tom squeaked, running to his father's side. "He's HUGE, Mama!"

The warrior patiently lied there while his kits climbed all over him, sniffing his brown and white fur and chasing his tail. After a few minutes, Nutmeg picked them up and placed them by her paws, grooming their fur.

"I want to name the dark brown tom with yellow eyes. He's going to be... Wolf." She mowed, purring.

"Wolfkit," Eagleclaw corrected her; when the kittypet gave him a confused look, he smiled."Clan cats start out with the word 'kit' after their names. When they become apprentices it changes to 'paw', and then the leader comes up with a new second part at their warrior ceremony."

One of the she-kits, who had green eyes and fluffy, gray and white fur, pounced on her father and pawed at his ears. "What's MY name, Daddy? I get a name, too, right?"

Eagleclaw laughed. "Of coarse, sweety. You all get names. Yours will be... Mintkit." His daughter let out a squeal of excitement before running back to her siblings.

Nutmeg licked the other she-cat, who had sleek, silver fur and blue-gray eyes. The kittypet looked down at her daughter, saying,"This one will be Silverkit."

Eagleclaw pointed to the last tom, who had yellow eyes, and brown and white fur with yellow stripes. "His name is Reedkit."

It was decided. The kits nuzzled their mother goodbye, ranting about what it would be like to live in a clan and become warriors. Eagleclaw gave Nutmeg a lick on the cheek. He could sense the overwhelming sadness pouring off of her; she was holding back tears.

"I promise they will come visit you every other moon." he whispered, sighing. "I love you. They will be perfectly safe will me."

"I know. I trust you, Eagleclaw. And I love you, too."

The family waved their tails in farewell before beginning the long trek back to Thunderclan. One thing was for sure; life would never be the same again.

* * *

Redstar paced the clearing, mumbling to himself while his mate, Snowfall, tried to reassure him.

"Maybe Eagleclaw went on a long walk," she suggested, shrugging. "He's an adult, dear. He can take care of himself."

The leader looked up when he saw Fireheart, his son, sitting with a very pregnant Spottedcloud. Redstar called to him, waving the flame-furred warrior over with a flick of his tail.

"Good morning Redstar, Snowfall. What's up?" The tom asked.

"Have you seen Eagleclaw?" Redstar mowed.

"No, not since the hunting trip last night. He's been acting strange lately," Fireheart replied. "Why? Has he gone missing?"

"I'm afraid so. Let's send out a search party, just in case. He's probably out hunting or something." the leader huffed. His son nodded before following the reddish-brown tom out into the forest.

"Hey, where's the fire guys?" Graystripe asked, gulping down the last few bites of a mouse; he laughed at his own joke before following the two cats off into the forest. "Get it!? Because his name is FIREheart?"

The ginger warrior rolled his emerald-green eyes. "Har Har, Graystripe. Never heard THAT one before."

"I'm sure you haven't, buddy-oh-friend-of-mine. It was a Graystripe Original."

"Lovely. How long did it take for you come up with it?"

"Not long. It just appeared, like 'POOF!' in my mind. Seriously, I'm so hilarious, it's almost dangerous sometimes."

"Don't worry, Mr. Danger, I'm sure you'll live."

"Mmhhhmmm..."

Spottedcloud waddled over to her friend Streamtail, who was shaking her head in the direction that Graystripe and his friend had run off to.

"Hey chubs," the silver she cat greeted, which earned her a cuff on the ear from the slightly bipolar-acting tortoiseshell.

"You hush, Streamtail. These kits are just getting big. I've never been chubby." Spottedcloud grunted, shifting her weight to one side so she could sit more comfortably, "I swear, I don't think they'll ever want to be born. They're always poking me and moving around. They probably don't sleep."

Streamtail's laugh was cut off at the sight of Eagleclaw, who crept into camp through the dirt place. Walking in front of him were four, small bundles of fur.

"What the...?" both she-cats gasped.

The deputy led the kits over to them, nudging each gently with the tip of his nose. His yellow eyes were droopy from lack of sleep, but his face was lit up with joy.

"Hey Eagleclaw, who are these sleepy little cuties?" Spottedcloud asked softly, her motherly instincts kicking in.

Eagleclaw gazed nervously down at his paws. "It appears I have a lot of explaining to do. But first, Streamtail, I need to ask you a huge favor..."

* * *

A while later, Redstar returned to camp with Graystripe and Fireheart at his paws. The leader retreated to the comfort of his den while the young toms walked over to the nursery.

"Dude, what's your dad's problem lately? He's been treating his deputy like a lost kit," the gray and black-striped warrior whispered.

"He's just old. You can't blame him for freaking out," Fireheart replied, his nose twitching as he stuck his head inside the small den. "Hey, where'd the she-cats go?"

Graystripe frowned. " I dunno. Let's investigate!"

Fireheart chuckled, feeling like an apprentice again as he watched his best friend sniff the camp like a dog. _What a goofball,_ he thought.

Suddenly, Spottedcloud padded into the area from behind the medicine cat den, her chin held high and a sparkle in her eyes like she knew an awesome secret. Her mate ran up to her gave the queen a quick lick on the cheek.

"Hey chubs!" Graystripe called, earning an eye roll from the pregnant queen. "Have you seen Streamtail?"

"Why do you two always insist on calling me that? It's not nice," Spottedcloud meowed. "And yeah, I HAVE seen her. She has a huge surprise for you, too."

"What? A surprise? Hmm. Interesting..." the gray warrior replied. "Any hints?"

"Well, let's just say that Starclan has finally answered your prayers: you've acquired a couple of little mouths to feed."

Graystrip's ears perked. "Say what now?"

"It's a long story, and you must promise not to tell ANYONE. Eagleclaw became mates with a kittypet, who wants their kits to be raised in Thunderclan. He brought the kits here, and although he hopes to remain in their lives, he doesn't think he can raise them himself. So Eagleclaw wants you and Streamtail to adopt them."

"Us? Really? Why not you? My mate can't nurse them, you know."

"Eagleclaw knew Streamtail can't get pregnant, and how long you've been begging Starclan for kits. They're two and a half moons old, ready to start weaning anyways."

Graystripe didn't hesitate. He sprinted towards the medicine cat den, slowing to a stop at the sight of the silver she-cat. She was curled up behind the den, four small bundles of fur sleeping in the crook of her belly and bundled up into her fur. Eagleclaw nodded to the warrior, smiling sadly.

"Eagleclaw, is it... true? Are you really... giving them to us?" Graystripe hesitated.

"I'm letting you guys adopt them, but only if you let me and their birth mother be apart of their lives. That means taking them to see Nutmeg every once in a while," the deputy said. "The dark brown Tom is Wolfkit, the brown, white, and yellow tom is Reedkit, the gray and white she-cat is Mintkit, and the silver she-cat is Silverkit."

Graystripe couldn't believe his ears. He looked up at the warriors of Starclan. His heart was so overwhelmed with joy that he couldn't process this new information, had no idea what to DO. Eagleclaw padded off to speak with Redstar, leaving the new father alone with his family.

"Come over here," Streamtail whispered, stroking the sleeping kits with her tail. "They don't bite much."

And that was it. Graystripe was hooked on the kits instantly. He hadn't known them long, but he knew he loved them. He hadn't spent much time with them, but he knew he'd die for them. They were THERE, and that was all it took to spark the father's love.

* * *

**Woohoooo! :D Chapter 1! I'm super excited right now! I was so determined to get this story started that I stayed up really late just to finish it. I hope you guys liked it, and don't forget to stay tuned! (But keep in mind my bipolar updating skills from the first story...T^T)**

**PS: I don't own Warriors**

**PPS: Reviews are awesome :)**


	2. Chapter 2: The Attack

**Chapter 2: The Attack**

"Mama, why did those cats have to be so _angry?"_

"Mistystep and Badgertooth are elders, darling. Don't take it personally."

"But it wasn't my fault! Wolfkit pushed me, remember? You were there, right Mama?"

"Yes, Mintkit, I was there. And Mistystep knows it was an accident; you and your brother apologized, and that's all that matters."

Streamtail led her four kits around the camp, discussing a recent incident that had occurred between them and the elders. Mintkit had been playing moss-ball with her siblings when Wolfkit decided to tackle her from behind the ever-growing fresh-kill pile. After tumbling across the clearing a bit, they rolled right in front of Mistystep's paws. The old she-cat tripped, letting out a yowl so shrill that, if not for the given situation, the kits would have giggled. Nonetheless, Streamtail's youngsters were sent back to her with shaking legs and little tails frizzing in fright. It only takes one scolding to learn how NOT to get in an elder's way.

The mother of four suddenly froze in place, causing Mintkit, Wolfkit, Silverkit, and Reedkit to slam into her back leg (they'd been following close behind her like little ducklings), falling on top of each other in a pile of fur. They looked up harshly to see what had caused Streamtail to stop with such little notice, and let out small gasps at who they saw just ahead of them: a very annoyed, angry old she-cat.

"H-hello Mistystep," Streamtail meowed politely; she paused to clear her throat before continuing. "How are you today?"

"Oh, just PEACHY!" The elder huffed, shooting daggers at the four kits hiding behind their mother.

Streamtail sighed. "Look, I know my kits accidentally hurt you, but they apologized, and they feel awful. Can't you look past this and find it in your heart to forgive them?"

"Humph!" Mistystep looked down at the youngsters. Wolfkit, the largest of the four, stood tall with his chest puffed out and his head held high, as if hoping his bravery would fend off the old she-cat. Her expression softened a little, and to their surprise, she actually let out a loud, shrill chuckle (although it sounded like a sparrow choking on sand).

"Fine. I forgive you. Just watch where you're going next time!" Mistystep spat before sulking off to share a vole with Badgertooth (Thunderclan's other elder), muttering, "kits these days, absolutely no respect..."

The warrior rubbed her paw across Mintkit's shoulder, her soft, blue-gray eyes filled with pride and love for her daughter. "I'm proud of you for saying that you were sorry earlier, Sweety. That was very grown up of you."

The kit gave a quick "thank-you" before running off with her siblings to greet Graystripe as he returned from a hunt. Streamtail watched, purring; her kits had only been in Thunderclan for a short time, but they had quickly warmed up to clan life and the idea of taking on new parents. The silver queen was a natural mother from the start. Her four new additions loved following her around the camp and asking an endless amount of questions, which she happily provided answers to whenever they arose. At first they blurted stuff out like, "Is Nutmeg coming to visit soon?" and "I miss sleeping in the two-leg's den at night!", but eventually became, "Do we HAVE to wait that long to become apprentices like Sunpaw?" and "Why can't Dad take us on border patrols?". Graystripe loved being a parent, as well, especially the "fun one". He often spent hours tussling around with them in front of the nursery, or teaching them new games to play.

It didn't take long for their individual personalities to surface, either. Mintkit quickly became known as the loud, talkative one. She spoke her mind and wasn't afraid to stick up for her opinions, although her big mouth often got her into trouble. Being the outgoing kit means you aren't as easily forgotten, though.

Silverkit was the exact opposite of her sister. As the smallest of the four kits, she felt most comfortable when acting shy and conservative, but not exactly bashful; the little she-cat loved the company of others, and instantly received the title of "Momma's girl". Unlike her brothers and sister, Silverkit looked forward to getting groomed. Despite the differences in their behaviors, she and Mintkit were the best of friends; their non-similar personalities balanced each other out.

Wolfkit was the largest of the bunch. Unlike his birth father, he had strong, broad shoulders, huge paws, and an all-around tough build. His once light fur grew into a darker, chocolate brown with each passing day. As for his attitude, he didn't know how to control his own strength, and usually just bowled through his clanmates without waiting for them to get out of his way. Reedkit, whose tall narrow build and long legs were made for running and jumping (not so much fighting), stuck to his brother like glue, most likely for protection. They both had hearts of gold, and, even at a young age, stood as some of the most loyal cats in the clan. Reedkit, the smaller of the two toms, was smart, and almost as quiet as Silverkit. He didn't talk much, except to remind his siblings how annoyingly mature he was.

Streamtail looked up to see Spottedcloud nuzzling Fireheart good-bye; the flame-furred warrior was leaving for the afternoon patrol, and appeared hesitant to leave his very-pregnant mate.

"Are you sure?" Fireheart whispered. "You said you felt something earlier this morning, something that wasn't a kick. I don't want to be halfway across the territory when you go into labor."

"I'll be fine, dear. If anything happens, I'll send Graystripe after you, okay?" Spottedcloud replied with a smile, looking tired.

"I don't know. I really don't like the idea of leaving you right now,though. I just have a feeling that today's going to be the big day."

Fireheart knew there was no arguing with his mate. He padded off into the forest with Sunpaw at his heels, his apprentice chatting away instantly. Streamtail sat down next to her friend, who began to stare forlornly at the forest ahead.

"Hey, Chubs. How do you feel?" The silver she-cat asked.

"Huge. And frustrated. And _tired_. I feel like there's either three small kits, two normal-sized ones, or one really fat one in there. Either way, they don't, for the love of Starclan, want to come OUT," Spottedcloud grumbled. "I just want to _see_ them, you know? To give them names, stroke their fur, and watch their little eyes flutter as they fall asleep. I can't wait to be a mother."

"Don't worry, they should be here any day now. How long are you overdue, again?"

"About a week, give or take a few- OW!"

The tortoiseshell and while queen hunched over as a ripple passed through her body, followed by immediate pain. Her best friend gave a small chuckle at such perfect timing. "Speak of the little devils!"

Spottedcloud stood up and blinked in disbelief as the hurting momentarily subsided. "Phew! I'm fine. Just a few beginning contrac- HOLY STARCLAN THIS HURTS!"

This time her knees buckled and she fell to the ground, curling up into the ball during the process and praying that the aches would fade again. She began breathing heavily, and her eyes closed.

"I'll go find one of the medicine cats!" Streamtail exclaimed, turning tail to bolt across the clearing.

"No!' The queen screamed through clenched teeth. "Please. Send. Gray. Stripe. Find...Fireheart."

Spottedcloud's father, Stormtail, and Fireheart's mother, Snowfall, had seen the she-cat collapse, and were already running to her side. They carried her into the nursery and laid her down gently in her nest, whispering words of encouragement and wishing her mate would return soon.

* * *

"Fireheart, do you hear that?"

Silence.

"Helloooo?" Sunpaw meowed, louder this time, waving a paw in front of her mentor's unblinking face. "Earth to Fireheart!"

"What, hmmm? Oh, sorry, Sunpaw. I was just... thinking," The warrior replied, walking faster to catch up to the rest of the patrol.

"About Spottedcloud?"

"Yeah. I'm worried."

They continued on without talking. The other four cats, Nightshade, Rainpool, Pinefrost, and Thornpelt decided to check the northwest territory, leaving them to check the northeast territory. Clan cats hadn't had to worry about hostile intruders since before the Second Battle. Times were finally peaceful, a good season to be a warrior or an apprentice.

Fireheart and Sunpaw walked with perked ears, listening intently for even the slightest out-of-place sound or foreign scent. Everything was going great until they heard a loud SNAP. The two cats shared a "what was that?" look before padding towards the direction it came from. Paw steps much too clumsy and unfocused to belong to Thunderclan, were heading their way.

"You stay here," Fireheart whispered, so only his apprentice could hear. "I'm gonna go check it out. No protest."

Sunpaw gave a stiff nod, then began pacing swiftly in circles, although continuing to remain alert. She watched him jog farther and farther away until he was out of sight.

The hair on the back of Fireheart's neck stood straight up, and his whiskers twitched. What if it was an intruder? Or an ambush from another clan? What if they outnumbered the warrior, slaughtering him on the spot despite his attempts to fight back? Spottedcloud would have to raise their beloved kits alone. They would never know him...

Suddenly, a flash of brown materialized ahead of him. The tom got down low to the ground, pausing to gather force in his legs before leaping at the creature before him. Strong and powerful, he soared through the air and landed softly on top of it. Fireheart breathed a sigh of relief; it was only a large squirrel, caked with mud. That was why he hadn't recognized it's prey-scent.

Just as he was turning around to call Sunpaw over, a great force tackled him from the treetops and pushed him to the ground, a furry paw closing around his neck. It's claws (definitely a cat's) tickled his fur, teasing him.

"I have the upper paw here, clan cat," a voice, light and somehow raspy at the same time, spoke in his ear. "So don't try nothin' stupid."

Adrenaline rushed through his veins, and the warrior attempted to wiggle free. But his attacker grabbed his scruff and shoved his face into the dirt. He knew it was worthless to fight back any more. There was only one thing left to do.

Fireheart lifted his muzzle as much as he could and let out a yowl. "Sunpaw! Get help! We're being attacked!"


	3. Chapter 3: New Clan Members

**Chapter 3: New Clan Members**

Sunpaw paced the clearing, feeling uneasy as she watched Fireheart walk off into the distance. Her legs shook a little as she walked, and her eyes twitched . She tried to convince herself that the sound her mentor went off to investigate belonged to a forest creature, and not an intruder; the clans had been in a state of peace for a long time, after all. Why would things change now?

The apprentice sheathed her claws, and took a deep breath. She stared at the treetops above, watching them sway to some unknown rhythm as a light breeze caressed the sky. Her paws kneaded the soft grass, and she relaxed into a more comfortable sitting position. Sunpaw's surroundings comforted her, in a way. Greenleaf was her favorite season, although she'd only been alive for about eight moons, and most likely did not remember what the other weather time periods were like.

Suddenly the bracken rustled from behind her. The apprentice shuffled to her paws, instantly alert again. A scent hit her that was both familiar and alien. She could feel the ground vibrate as someone, or something, began walking in her direction. Without thinking, Sunpaw whirled around and leaped at whoever was trying to sneak up on her. She tackled a tall, furry creature, and smirked when she heard it "Oof!" from the compact of hitting the hard earth. When the female apprentice opened her light green eyes, she gasped at the cat lying beneath her paws.

It was a tom, only a few moons older than her. He had amber eyes and long legs, as well as a confident aura. His fur was pure white except for an orange tail-tip, and a small spot, with the same color, on the bridge of his nose. The intruder didn't seem at all surprised at being pinned by the apprentice. Instead he let a small smile pull at the corners of his lips. This made her feel instantly annoyed, and she snarled in response.

"Who are you?" Sunpaw exclaimed, staring the tom down.

"Who are YOU?" He replied nonchalantly.

The she-cat raised her eyebrows. "You think you're funny, do you?"

"Actually, I think I'm HILARIOUS," the attacker meowed, grinning.

"Good for you. I'm sure your parents are so proud."

"Actually, my parents are DEAD."

Whoops. Sunpaw gulped, knowing that she'd hit the intruder in a soft spot.

"Do you know you're trespassing on Thunderclan territory?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

The handsome cat looked up in mock surprise. "Trespassing? That sounds nothing like me."

"Yeah, I bet you're innocent by nature."

Sunpaw shifted uncomfortably as the tom continued to stare at her, his head cocked to the side.

"What are you doing on this side of the lake, anyways? Didn't anyone tell you that clans inherit these parts?" She continued, pushing him further into the ground.

"Oh, I've just been searching the forest for a beautiful she-cat with which to spend my time. It appears my hard work has payed off!"

Sunpaw blushed a deep shade of tomato, which glowed through her sand-colored fur. The tom noticed, and let out a light chuckle. But to his surprise, the apprentice pushed his head to the side so that his mouth was in the ground, and he was eating dust. She gave him a smirk, pleased with her work.

"Arkah, arkah! Arl tark!" he mumbled, causing Sunpaw to giggle before becoming serious again. She let him turn his head back so that he was gazing up at her innocently.

"To answer your previous question, yes, I am aware that clan cats live here," The tom began. "That's why I came. I'm looking for-"

"SUNPAW! GET HELP! WE'RE BEING ATTACKED!"

The apprentice's head snapped up at the sound of her mentor's voice. She let out a frustrated huff.

"How am I supposed to rescue Fireheart, AND watch over this intruder at the same time?" She muttered under her breathe.

As if on cue, Graystripe exploded into the clearing, gasping for air as tough he'd run the whole way. When he caught sight of Sunpaw and the tom, he began to grin. The she-cat groaned;he would never let her live this down. The warrior quickly shook his head, though, as though pushing away a sudden thought.

"Sunpaw, where's Fireheart?" He asked in an urgent tone. "Spottedcloud is kitting!"

She pointed with her tail in the direction he had run off to. Graystripe followed suit, leaving her to stare awkwardly at her still-grinning captive.

"Oh, wipe that smug look off your face," the she-cat retorted, all patience gone.

A short time later, Fireheart raced pass his apprentice, towards the camp. Sunpaw watched, bemused. Graystripe then cleared his throat, and both of the young cats looked up.

"A light brown tabby was holding him hostage. I'd bet my last mouse that she works for this guy, whoever he is," the gray warrior meowed. "Sunpaw, go ahead and update the camp. Send another cat to search for the tabby, while I watch him."

The white cat opened his mouth to say something, but let the protest fall as he watched his new "friend" pad off in the opposite direction. One thing was certain; he had a lot of explaining to do.

Fireheart paced in front of the nursery. His whiskers twitched a little with each step. Sitting nearby was his sister, Sweetbriar, who attempted to calm the warrior down with words of encouragement.

"If I know Spottedcloud, which I do, she will undoubtedly leave this battle unscathed! A true warrior!"

"Har-har," he muttered, not feeling any better.

Many hours passed, and by then a small crowd of clanmates had gathered. Even Mistystep had shown interest, her ears perking every time one of the cats in the nursery (Brightsong, the younger of the two medicine cats, his mother Snowfall, and his mate, of coarse) spoke. Fireheart himself could barely hear what was going on, and it frustrated him. He looked up at the sky, hoping his ancestors were watching over him and Spottedcloud.

Night soon fell over the camp; Sunpaw stood in a corner, telling Redstar of the intruders that she and the two warriors had encountered. The flame-furred tom fell asleep, leaning against the nursery. Tension filled the cats around him, and he tried to block out their concerned whispers.

"This is taking much longer than usual..."

"Poor Fireheart, what would he do if he lost Spottedcloud?"

"Stop thinking so negatively! He can HEAR us."

"Then whisper more SOFTLY, for Starclan's sake!"

The sky was a dark indigo by the time Brightsong exited the den. She poked the sleeping tom with one paw, causing him to stir and look up in alarm.

"Is she okay?" He asked, his voice low.

The medicine cat nodded. "She's perfect; they all are."

Snowfall, a grandmother now, padded back to the warrior's den, most likely for some shut-eye of her own. Graystripe, who had long since been released of his enemy-guarding duties, nudged his best friend foreward.

"Go in there," He said, smiling. "Be brave."

Fireheart gulped and walked forward. The smell of blood, apparently normal for kitting, hit his nose sharply, and he winced. But the tom quickly forgot when he saw his mate, curled up in a corner of the nursery with two small bundles dozing in the crook of her belly. Spottedcloud looked exhausted, but at the same time she glowed with happiness, and was purring contently. The queen waved Fireheart over with a twitch of her tail, not wanting to awaken the precious kits.

He sat down by her side, just watching them, unsure of what to do. He had no idea how to be a father! A mate and warrior, yes, but a dad? Spottedcloud seemed to recognize the nervous look his eye.

"I know you're concerned, Firheart," She whispered with a tired smile. "I feel the same way. But we just need to take this one day at a time, alright? We'll get used to being parents soon enough."

Her mate sighed, bending down to watch the kits' sides rise and fall. "But where do we even begin?"

Spottedcloud followed his gaze, purring louder. "I guess we could start by giving them names."

Fireheart nodded, his grin growing. "Good idea. You go first."

The queen looked down at her youngsters. The larger of the two, a tom, had orange fur much like his father's, but of a lighter shade. He began to squirm in his sleep, kicking out his legs and waving his paws. They watched, chuckling; the other kit began to mewl in protest, her ears twitching. She had cream-colored fur with an orange tint, and a cute, pink nose.

"I'm going to call the she-cat... Applekit," Spottedcloud said.

"Hmm.. How about... Ashkit, for the tom?" Fireheart suggested, looking to his mate for approval. The queen nodded before letting out a huge yawn.

The orange-furred, male cat curled up in a nest right next to his mate, forgetting that the bed belonged to Streamtail and Co, who had taken residence in the medicine cat den during the kitting. Fireheart and his mate fell asleep in unison, knowing that once morning came, their lives would be completely different.


	4. Chapter 4: Breaking News

A/N: I do not own the Warriors series, or anything created by the Erin Hunters; it would be cool if I did, but sadly I'm just a fan.

**Chapter 4: Breaking News**

Despite the events that had occurred the day before, clan life proceeded as usual. The rising of the sun brought with it a new morning, a fresh start. Various shades of orange, pink, and yellow cascaded down from the treetops, creating a spotlight of sorts on the camp. Many cats could be seen setting out for the morning hunt, stretching their legs, or sharing an early breakfast. Sunpaw awoke with a usual skip in her step and smile on her face; a slight breeze caressed her sand-colored fur, and her light green eyes shone with anticipation. _I love being an apprentice_, she thought, padding over to where she usually met Fireheart for training.

The she-cat sat patiently by the edge of the camp, her tail barely swishing as she hummed to herself. Seconds soon became minutes, and those minutes built up for quite a long time. Sunpaw frowned, her paws starting to become twitchy. _Where is he?_ She wondered, gazing around the area for any sight of the ginger tom. _Fireheart's never been late before._ And that's when the apprentice remembered: her mentor had kits now.

Sunpaw walked sullenly over to the warrior's den, her head hanging. She sat down with a sigh, hoping to ask one of the other cats to train her. After a few minutes the apprentice could hear the mewling of Wolfkit, Silverkit, Reedkit and Mintkit, trying to get Streamtail to leave her comfy nest and start the day.

"Come ON, Mama!" a tom's voice begged, most likely Wolfkit's. "You've been sleeping forever!"

"Have _not_," The queen slurred sleepily in response.

"Have _too_!" Mintkit squeaked; Sunpaw could tell it was her, because her voice was noticeably louder than the others. "Let's go let's go let's gooooo!"

The apprentice could feel her whiskers twitching, but she put on a serious and more-adult face as the five cats exited the den, followed by Graystripe. She suppressed a giggle as she watched the kits intertwine themselves around their adopted parents' legs. Sunpaw began to wonder how in the name of Starclan Streamtail and Graystripe hadn't tripped over them already. Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, sharp pain in her tail. The she-cat spun around just in time to see Mintkit, who was lying innocently on her back and batting at her with small, yet painful claws. Sunpaw let out a yelp and clutched her tail protectively, which only earned her a giggle from the youngster.

"That was a funny noise you made," Mintkit said, getting to her paws and sitting next to the apprentice. "You sounded like a bird I once saw, when it fell out of a tree."

Sunpaw rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah? I've known you for almost a moon now, and I've heard you make lots of silly sounds."

The kit's eyes widened. "No way!"

"Yes way! Just a few days ago, when Wolfkit snuck into the medicine cat den and covered your face with cobwebs while you were sleeping. That was the funniest thing I'd ever seen in my entire life!"

"That doesn't count, Sunpaw! You would've screamed, too!"

At that point the apprentice was rolling across the floor in a fit of laughter, remembering the screech that Mintkit had given that day. Graystripe and Streamtail's daughter pounced on Sunpaw's belly, which only caused more uproar. As the two were tussling around, a shadow crept over the two young cats, a sign that someone was not only standing close by, but watching.

"A_hem_!" A deep, rumble of a voice meowed, a spark of annoyance tainted in its tone. "Sunpaw, I believe you have apprentice duties to attend to. No more roughhousing!"

The sand-furred she-cat looked up innocently. Her eyes grew to the size of apples when she saw that iw was Eagleclaw, the deputy, who had been speaking. His brown and white fur was a bit matted, and his yellow eyes were dark and serious.

"Y-you're right," She meowed, nudging Mintkit towards her family with a flick of her tail. "Run along now. We'll play again some other time, when I'm on break."

There was a moment of silence as Eagleclaw watched the gray and white kit pad off towards Streamtail, who welcomed her daughter with a nuzzle. Sunpaw thought she saw a ping of sadness, or perhaps regret, cross the tom's face, but it quickly vanished before she could decide for sure.

"I-I'm sorry, Eaglec-claw. I was waiting for Fireheart in our usual spot, but he wasn't there, and I think he's sleeping in with Spottedcloud and his new family, so I was going to ask another warrior to train me for the day until I saw Mintkit, and she wanted so play so I-"

"Enough!" The deputy hissed, causing Sunpaw to shrink back a little bit. Never before had he seemed so angry, so... _different._ "Redstar sent me over here to watch you for the day. Fireheart will be back to his mentoring duties tomorrow, but for now, our clan leader has a special task of you. Come along."

The apprentice's mouth formed an O, but she kept her head low and followed Eagleclaw out to the forest, anyway. _This is going to be a really long day..._

* * *

To Sunpaw's surprise, the deputy led her to the place where she'd seen the strange, white-furred tom the evening before. Four Thunderclan cats, including Stormtail, Sweetbriar, Runningleaf, and Thornpelt, were standing guard around something, or someone, maybe. There were dark circles under their eyes, as though they had been awake all night. Nonetheless, they greeted her with small smiles, and even a few yawns.

"Hi, guys," Sunpaw meowed, trying to sound happy. "What's going on here?"

"We're watching a couple of hostages," Sweetbriar replied. "The first we've had in a while. "

"Oh, the cats who were trespassing yesterday?" The apprentice asked, her eyebrow raised.

Thornpelt nodded, which sent his spiky, brown fur bobbing. "Yep. They're sleeping now, in the center of this circle we made. Are you and Eagleclaw here to take over?"

Sunpaw looked up at the deputy for clarification. He gave a curt nod, and looked over his shoulder just in time to see Sparrowflight and Rainpool walking towards them. It was at that point, that the plan was finally explained to the sand-furred she-cat; they were going to let the two captives walk around a little bit. In doing so, they had to keep a circle around them, steering away from the camp.

"Sounds easy enough," She said, and quickly took Sweetbriar's place in the formation.

There were two hostages: the white tom with the orange spot on his nose, and a light-brown tabby she-cat. Both were around Sunpaw's age, maybe a few moons older. Eagleclaw gave them a poke in the side with one of his paws; the tabby rolled onto her side and let out a hiss, while the white tom blinked until his amber eyes had adjusted to the light.

"Good morning everyone!" He meowed cheerfully upon noticing that the apprentice was watching him. He winked at her, chuckling at the blush that was spreading across her cheeks and adding, "Especially you, dear."

"Okay, that's enough," Eagleclaw spat, staring the white-furred cat down. "You and your friend are lucky that we've been so courteous. You'd better tell us your names and give us some information soon, or my good mood will vanish before you can say "mouse". Got it?"

The tabby rolled her eyes. "Well you could've just asked us that in the first place, if you were so eager to know! I'm Owl, and this is Fox."

"How lovely," Sparrowflight grumbled. "Why are you here? And why did you attack one of our warriors?"

Owl chuckled, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, you mean the twitchy, ginger cat I spooked? I was just teasing him. I would've let him go... eventually."

"You only answered one of my questions. Why are you here?"

Again, there was silence. The two captives shared worried glances, as though speaking to each other with their minds. Eventually it was Fox who spoke up.

"We come from the remnants of Skyclan," He meowed, looking tall and strong. "A few of our clanmates, Maple, Smoke, Rose, and Badger, left us many moons ago, in search of Firestar's home, so that they could live there. Owl and I were chosen to track them down, and bring them back."

Sunpaw gasped, her jaw dropping in shock. _Maple, Smoke, Rose and Badger..? That must mean Mapleleaf, Smokescar, Rosedapple and Badgertooth!_

"Those cats have become well-accustomed to life in Thunderclan," Rainpool said, narrowing her eyes. "You can't just make them leave. Besides, I thought Skyclan was in ruins, beyond repair?"

"It _is_," Owl spat. "That's why we need them to come home. They know what clan life is like now, firsthand. They can save us, perhaps even bring some other cats along with them to help. Skyclan may finally be restored!"

Murmurs rang throughout the small group of Thunderclan cats, whispering words of confusion and frustration.

"Silence!" Eagleclaw finally yowled, causing everyone to shut up instantly at the power in his voice. "We'll take you to camp, and let you speak with them yourselves."

* * *

Sunpaw ran ahead of the patrol, practically crashing into her mother as she entered the camp. Rosedapple blinked in surprise at her daughter's rushed behavior, but quickly smiled and shrugged it off.

"Whoa there, Sweetie! Where's the fire?" She asked with a purr. "When was the last time you groomed yourself? Your fur is so dusty, and-"

"MOM WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" The apprentice shrieked, looking over Rosedapple's shoulder to survey the clan. "Where are Dad and Grandpa? We've got a problem!"

"What in the name of Starclan-?"

"LIKE I SAID WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" Sunpaw added, racing towards the elder's den so fast that she almost tripped over her own tail. She poked her head inside the den, looking frantic and wild. "GRANDPA GET YOUR BUTT OUT OF THAT NEST!"

Upon hearing his daughter's scared voice, Smokescar raced from beside the fresh-kill pile to join his worried mate.

"What's going on?" He whispered. Rosedapple shook her head.

"I have no clue!"

Just as Sunpaw was pushing her family through the side-exit of the camp, mumbling something about becoming fugitives and running as far away as possible, the rest of the patrol arrived, with Fox and Owl at their heels. The apprentice muttered a very unladylike word, earning a cuff on the ear from her mother.

"Your father and I are washing your mouth with chamomile tonight, little missy," Smokescar meowed; his mate looked a little feint after hearing such language from the young she-cat.

At that point, Eagleclaw called the four former Skyclan members to meet him by the Highledge, the two captives waiting patiently by his side. As they all sat down, Sunpaw hid behind her mother and gulped. _This is bad, really bad!_

"Smokescar, Badgertooth, and Rosedapple, these prisoners that we found by the border yesterday have come with a message to pass on, and a mission to fulfill. I will give you some space, but if you need me, I won't be far." The deputy said, before walking off in the opposite direction.

Fox and Owl looked around at the group of former clanmates they'd worked so hard to find. Badgertooth sighed with annoyance, clearly wanting to return to his afternoon nap, while Smokescar and his mate shuffled their paws awkwardly.

"So, what's going on here?" Sunpaw's father asked, still a bit twitchy.

"Don't you recognize me, Smoke?" The light brown tabby asked.

The tom padded forward, leaving his daughter exposed for a split second; she quickly darted behind Badgertooth, hoping no one had noticed. Of course, Fox _had_ seen the apprentice's eyes appear over the elderly tom's shoulder, and he suppressed a light chuckle.

"Owl?" Smokescar whispered, narrowing his eyes. "Is that... you?"

The tabby nodded, smiling. "I guess I can't blame you for not remembering me. You haven't seen me since I was a newborn kit, after all."

Rosedapple walked forward and nuzzled the she-cat, who seemed taken aback by the action. "Oh, you've grown so much! How old are you now? Nine, ten moons?"

"Yeah, something like that. I honestly stopped keeping track after my sixth moon or so."

Badgertooth whirled around suddenly, almost smacking heads with his granddaughter. "Hey, you there! I _thought _some cat was sitting a bit too close. Come on out and meet your cousin!"

Sunpaw's jaw dropped for the second time that day. "Say WHAT now?"

Badgertooth pushed her forward with so much force that she practically crashed into Fox. The white-furred tom smirked, reminding the apprentice just how much she disliked him.

"This is all fine and dandy, you guys," She meowed, taking a huge step away from the Skyclan tom. "But if I'm related to _him_, I'm jumping off the Highledge and never looking back!"

Everyone, including Fox, busted out into a fit of laughter. Sunpaw began to fume even more, and she angrily dug her claws into the ground. "I _mean it! _Happy Sunpaw is GONE! Gone like the wind! You're never seeing her again!"

Smokescar wrapped his tail around Owl, who was smiling, actually _smiling_, at the cousin she had never met.

"So my dad is your... uncle?" Sunpaw asked the tabby, so confused that she was on the virge of passing out.

Owl threw her head back and laughed. "I guess we have alot more catching up to do than I thought!"


End file.
